Government Initiates New Measures to Boost Renewable Energy Development

The Government has undertaken several measures and initiatives to promote the development of renewable energy (RE), including solar and wind power, as given at Annexure that directly/indirectly incentivize industries to increase the use of RE against the consumption of energy from conventional coal-thermal based power.

The total installed capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) power in the country is 85.47 GW and that of wind power is 46.65 GW, as on 30.06.2024.

This information was given by the Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

 

Annexure

 

The Government of India has taken several steps and initiatives to promote and accelerate renewable energy capacity in the country with the target to achieve 500 GW of installed electric capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. These include, inter-alia, the following:

• Notification of trajectory for RE power bids of 50 GW/annum to be issued by Renewable Energy Implementation Agencies [REIAs: Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN)] from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) permitted up to 100 percent under the automatic route.

• Waiver of Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for inter-state sale of solar and wind power for projects to be commissioned by 30th June 2025, for Green Hydrogen Projects till December 2030 and for offshore wind projects till December 2032.

• To boost RE consumption, Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) trajectory has been announced till 2029-30 including separate RPO for Decentralized Renewable Energy.

• Project Development Cell for attracting and facilitating investments has been set up.

• Standard Bidding Guidelines for tariff based competitive bidding process for procurement of Power from Grid Connected Solar, Wind and Wind-Solar Projects have been issued.

• Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, National Green Hydrogen Mission, Development of 1 GW Offshore Wind Energy Projects, etc.

• Setting up of Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks to provide land and transmission to RE developers for installation of RE projects at large scale.

• Laying of new transmission lines and creating new sub-station capacity under the Green Energy Corridor Scheme for evacuation of renewable power.

• Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 has been issued for net-metering up to five hundred Kilowatt or up to the electrical sanctioned load, whichever is lower.

• Cabinet approved the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for offshore wind energy projects for installation and commissioning of 1 GW of offshore wind energy projects (500 MW each off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu).

• “National Repowering and Life Extension Policy for Wind Power Projects, 2023” has been issued.

• “Strategy for Establishments of Offshore Wind Energy Projects” has been issued indicating a bidding trajectory of 37 GW by 2030 and various business models for project development.

• The Offshore Wind Energy Lease Rules, 2023 have been notified vide Ministry of External Affairs notification dated 19th December 2023, to regulate the grant of lease of offshore areas for development of offshore wind energy projects.

• Procedure for Uniform Renewable Energy Tariff (URET) has been issued.

• Standard & Labelling (S&L) programs for Solar Photovoltaic modules and Grid-connected Solar Inverters have been launched.

• To augment transmission infrastructure needed for steep RE trajectory, transmission plan has been prepared till 2030.

• Notification of “The Electricity (Late Payment Surcharge and related matters) Rules (LPS rules) issued.

• Notification of Promoting Renewable Energy through Green Energy Open Access Rules 2022 issued.

• Launched Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) to facilitate sale of Renewable Energy Power through exchanges.

• Government has issued orders that power shall be dispatched against Letter of Credit (LC) or advance payment to ensure timely payment by distribution licensees to RE generators.